ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Pakistan on Wednesday said it regretted a US move to block a United Nations Security Council resolution which called on Israel not to deport Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

“We regret that the resolution was vetoed,” foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan told AFP.

“Pakistan maintains that the deportation of President Arafat will be an illegal act and a serious setback to the peace process,” Mr Khan said.

“It is the quartet’s responsibility to ask Israel to revoke this decision,” Mr Khan said, referring to the four co-authors of the roadmap for peace in the Middle East — the United States, Russia, the European Union and the UN.

“The quartet should rededicate themselves to the implementation of the roadmap,” Mr Khan said.

The resolution tabled by Syria was co-sponsored by Pakistan.

“Pakistan co-sponsored the resolution and voted for it because we believe that every effort should be made to keep the Middle East peace process on track and to implement the quartet roadmap.”

The resolution was blocked by the United States late on Tuesday after 11 of the 15 Security Council members — including France — voted in favour and Britain, Bulgaria and Germany abstained.—AFP